WHAT KIND OF PRODUCTS DO YOU SELL?

If it’s packed in a suitcase or left on a plane, it could wind up for sale at Unclaimed Baggage. We sell a wide variety of items commonly taken on business trips and vacations such as clothes, cameras, jewelry, electronics and golf clubs. You never know what people may pack, so you could be one of the lucky shoppers to scoop up an African mask, vacuum-packed frogs, or even a snowboard.

We also sell unclaimed cargo, items lost in shipment and special buys. These often consist of new merchandise, like multiples of clothing, books and household items.

IS THERE A BEST TIME TO SHOP?

We roll out over 7,000 new items daily, so any time is a great time to shop! During the week, crowds are often smaller, and on weekends we often host fun in-store events. See our Upcoming Events page for more details

IS THIS ALL REALLY UNCLAIMED BAGGAGE?

Our merchandise is a combination of unclaimed baggage and cargo, primarily from commercial airlines but also from buses, trains, trucks, and other transportation venues.

HOW BIG IS THE STORE?

Unclaimed Baggage Center covers more than a city block. The main store has over 40,000 square feet of floor space for you to shop. Our Etc. building, located next to the main store, offers three stories of children’s merchandise, household goods and beauty supplies as well as special clearance deals in our Last Chance department. Leave plenty of time in your day to see it all!

ARE THE CLOTHES CLEAN? WHAT CONDITION ARE THE ELECTRONICS IN?

All clothing is professionally cleaned. In fact, Unclaimed Baggage Center has the largest known commercial dry cleaning and laundry facility in Alabama. We wash or dry clean over 20,000 items per day, more than most professional dry cleaners handle in a year! Electronic equipment is thoroughly tested and all personal data is erased before it is sold.

WHAT IS YOUR RETURN POLICY?

We will gladly EXCHANGE or issue store credit if the return is within 14 business days of purchase. Sales receipt must be included and the original tags must be on the merchandise.

Regrettably, “No.” By the time Unclaimed Baggage has purchased the luggage, every effort has been made by the airlines over a three to four month period to return it to its owner. After this point, claims have been paid out and the items are sent with no identifying information to Unclaimed Baggage to be repurposed or sold.

HOW CAN THERE BE SO MUCH LOST LUGGAGE?

Only about ½ of 1 percent of checked bags fail to show up at the baggage carousel. Within five days almost 98 percent of the delayed bags have made their way home. During the next three months, through a comprehensive baggage tracing process conducted by the airlines, over half of the remaining bags are reunited with their owners.

A surprisingly small fraction of a percent of passenger bags checked each year are ultimately deemed lost. Yet even that small percentage results in a warehouse full of unclaimed articles, all waiting for you to discover at Unclaimed Baggage Center.

DO THE AIRLINES MAKE A PROFIT FROM LOST BAGS?

No, airlines do not profit from unclaimed baggage. Carriers invest significant manpower and technological resources in the baggage recovery process. Passengers are compensated on any bags not found. Only a fraction of the total tracing and claims settlement costs are recouped by selling the lost bags.

Unclaimed Baggage Center provides an important service to the airlines by buying unclaimed bags and their contents and repurposing them in the best way possible.

DOES UNCLAIMED BAGGAGE SELL EVERYTHING IT BUYS IN LOST LUGGAGE?

Not everything sent to Unclaimed Baggage is suitable for sale in our store. A complex sorting process separates out the best merchandise for the retail floor. Items not sold to the public are either repurposed or discarded. Through relationships with multiple charity organizations locally, nationally and around the globe, Unclaimed Baggage is able to reclaim more than half of these leftover items for good. Millions of dollars of clothing, eyeglasses, medical supplies and other useful items are refurbished and donated to those in need each year through our Reclaimed For Good program.